Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

"Why are we always preparing to go? Just go!"
--Youknowwho

pebbles wrote:the driver door fit great until I swapped the lower hinge. I %^%$#@ with that door for two weeks to get it to fit right.

I feel your pain. I had to swap a lower passenger side and just yesterday got it close. I took the spare from a like (1970) year car and it wasn't pretty. What I found was difference in thickness, apparently where they welded on the door half to the hinge barrel. I also noticed some interesting lettering that may or may not be of note. Both drivers are the same ("H B" marked on door half). The passenger side original upper was "H A", replacement "H C or O" and was .055 thicker at the widest point than the H A upper. Once I smacked it with a hammer and made them the same (.685") the door fell right into place. Perhaps the second letter was a thickness indicator for the assembly line since shims don't seem to have been used and there is no diagonal adjustment in a folded hinge.

after my experiences this summer with duplicolors paintshop line id stay away from it.... not very good paint and does not cover as well as they claim

question about the POR in the photos. Is it like Rust Mort, in that you have to wash off all the residue after it dries before you top coat it? I want to do it in the floor area when I replace some floor metal.

It is not like rust mort. It is a ceramic "paint". I had a can left over from a previous project, using it on bits and pieces here and there. It likes rust, as in, it adheres well to an oxidized surface. I have sandblasted a few pieces as well, and it really sticks good to those, (like powdercoat). I got a little carried away brushing the fenderwells, and ended up doing the hinges and such. Adheres "ok" to 80 grit. I brushed some inside the top of the doors, and will probably brush the bottom of the doors inside.

DatsunBucky wrote:"Why are we always preparing to go? Just go!"
--Youknowwho

I think mine is genetic.

I told my buddies a few years back "I am done",,,
Feeling better about 15 mo ago, I started searching for info on my 320, stumbled across a pic of Alvins car circa 03? (with 14's),,,man I gotta have one. A keeper this time.
I didnt buy the "best one",,,cuz I would have drove it home and tore it apart anyway,,
a basket case is always a challenge,,,,basket case, hehe

got Andys jambs finished. hmm where to now. doors, 1/4s and fenders.

slowly plugging away, Kudos to those who have prepped and or painted a roadster. One would think "small car, small job". Not! Round fore and aft, round top to bottom. Quite challenging. Im thinking these cars were "coachbuilt", or cut to fit paint to match, each one just a little different than the next. Lots of complex lines and gaps. Maybe thats what makes them so appealing.
Moving forward.

You are continuing to do impressive work, this is gonna look so great when you are done!

David wrote:

Kudos to those who have prepped and or painted a roadster. One would think "small car, small job". Not! Round fore and aft, round top to bottom. Quite challenging. Im thinking these cars were "coachbuilt", or cut to fit paint to match, each one just a little different than the next. Lots of complex lines and gaps. Maybe thats what makes them so appealing.

We have burned out several painters on these cars-- you hit the nail on the head, most think that this is a simple body, but in fact there are many subtle details that inexperienced body men miss-- and it is painfully obvious when you see the cars in the flesh.

I would also agree about the coach-building... they used lots of lead on these cars to get the body lines right...

Keep going, you are doing a great job!

Michael

A little chilly during the week, 55 in the shop,,,so I had to reduce the primer a little more and wait a little longer between applications to let the solvents "flash". Crank the heat, open the windows turn on the fan, close the windows, crank the heat, so on so on. I am getting the rythem back slowly. I'll probably get to the last panel before I really have the roadster figured out. At least I'm getting in my hour of cardio each day!!! first app, thin, did this 4 times, took about an hour. 4 apps reduced, is 3 coats,,metaphorically,,say 5 mils? I suppose thats the "black art" part.
no blushing.(thats when moisture is stuck in the layers, ends up looking milky) that s good, its cold,,, but dry.

spriso wrote:
We have burned out several painters on these cars-- you hit the nail on the head, most think that this is a simple body, but in fact there are many subtle details that inexperienced body men miss-- and it is painfully obvious when you see the cars in the flesh.

I would also agree about the coach-building... they used lots of lead on these cars to get the body lines right...

Keep going, you are doing a great job!

Michael

My two cars have so much bondo....its difficult to assess the lines. When I worked over the bonnets the seam or peak down the center was like working on a watch,,,finesse and detail, to keep the sharp line of the press in there. I always try to sand in the nooks and crannies to keep the lines sharp and crisp. check the front flares on Andy, the pressed seam looks awsome to me. The bottom of the front fenders just fwd of the door are squared off a bit, as are the rockers. The corners just below and outboard of the tailites will be a challenge. Luckily Andy is pretty strait there too.
On to the doors!!!

The lines that most body guys miss is the subtle crease going down the top of the front fender (most people will just round it out), and the slight change in the tail light panel as the panel transitions from where the lights are mounted to the center section. I have seen so many cars with totally straight tail light panels, and they should not look that way...

-m

spriso wrote:...the subtle crease going down the top of the front fender (most people will just round it out), and the slight change in the tail light panel as the panel transitions from where the lights are mounted to the center section...
-m

Both of these areas are my current nightmare. The bodyline on the top of front fender is pretty straightforward once you realize it's there. My dilemna's are;
1, Where does the line die off? Seems about 8 inches forward of the door seam, slightly aft of the antenna hole.
2. Since I replaced the rear panel, I've no idea the correct contour of that transistion. I figure as long as both sides are the same, and the panel isn't flat.. it's close enough.

I too thought such a small car, should be a breeze to prep and paint. Ha!

MSmethers wrote:

spriso wrote:...the subtle crease going down the top of the front fender (most people will just round it out), and the slight change in the tail light panel as the panel transitions from where the lights are mounted to the center section...
-m

Both of these areas are my current nightmare. The bodyline on the top of front fender is pretty straightforward once you realize it's there. My dilemna's are;
1, Where does the line die off? Seems about 8 inches forward of the door seam, slightly aft of the antenna hole.
2. Since I replaced the rear panel, I've no idea the correct contour of that transistion. I figure as long as both sides are the same, and the panel isn't flat.. it's close enough.

I too thought such a small car, should be a breeze to prep and paint. Ha!

Ain't body work fun? For your fender line, you can take a thin strip of masking tape (like 1/4-1/2 inch wide) and run it down the fender, back to front, to locate your line on one side, then work your plastic filler on the opposite side as needed to keep the line consistent, then do the same with the tape on the other side of the line. Where it ends on the rearward part of the fender EXACTLY is not as important as if it matches the other fender's line... if you are a 1/2 inch off total length nobody is going to be able to tell! Blend it back to what makes sense and looks good to your eye and your hand's feel.

Regarding the rear panel, you have a seam inside that will guide you on where that line goes, and again, just make it make sense. When I did my friend Bill's car, the back panel had already been made flat, and that was the way he wanted it, but the seam is not hard to put in. If the back has been hit and/or replaced somewhat incorrectly, it only takes a hint of body work to show there is a seam. It kinda sets the rear tail lights off from the rest of the panel.

The front fender peak softens about 3 inches from the headlite ring, and near the cowl, or antenna, but is still slightly peaked.
My replacement fender on the driver side, didnt have any lead, or seam sealer on the valance. no badge holes either.
Agreed, as long as both sides look the same,,,,,,,,